“Or it changes without anyone realising it.”
Rose frowned, not understanding the other woman.
“Peter is stubborn. You mean something to him, Rose.”
She wasn’t going to dispute Laura’s words. There was no need to fight what Rose already knew. Peter was in love with Laura, and that was never going to change.
The sound of the front door opening made Rose pause. She still wore her nightshirt. Peter appeared in the doorway, stopping when he saw Laura. He was soaking wet, and she finally heard the rain falling outside. His eyes widened, and Rose saw his guard fall into place.
“Laura, what are you doing here?” Peter asked.
His gaze remained rooted on Laura’s face. Rose knew she didn’t stand a chance even if his gaze had looked more shocked than happy by Laura’s appearance.
“She came to see you, and I’ve taken up too much of your time.” Rose stood, leaving her cup on the table. “It was lovely to meet you, Laura.” She smiled at the other woman and left them alone in the kitchen. Making her way upstairs, Rose left her door partially ajar.
Going to the window she sat down on the sofa in the corner in the room. She watched the rain falling in the dark night. It was still warm. Holding onto her knees she wondered what was happening downstairs. Tears filled her eyes and fell down her cheeks as another wave of pain consumed her. She couldn’t handle the pain. Peter was in love with a woman who she had no chance of competing with.
Laura was a lucky woman to have two men who loved her. All Rose wanted was to have one man love her.
Wiping the tears from her cheeks, Rose stared out of the window wondering what she was going to do with her life.
Staying with Peter for any length of time was out of the question. She couldn’t live with him, knowing he wanted another woman.
Rose watched the rain fall down the windows finding little comfort in the constant pitter-patter of the rain hitting the windows. Even if she didn’t stay with Peter there was no chance she was going back home.
Brad was dangerous news. There was never any proof of what he did to women. What could she do?
Shaking the fears from her thoughts she allowed herself to relax. Peter wasn’t going to kick her out of his home. She had a few weeks to get her bearings back.
****
Brad kicked over the television watching it smash. He’d been told by his father that Rose hadn’t been kidnapped. She’d gone with Peter Miller willingly. The f**king bitch was supposed to be his woman. He’d planned everything. Rose was going to be his wife, and she was going to do everything she was told.
“You can have any woman you want, Brad. Rose is not worth this shit,” Adam said.
Tyler was sat on the sofa waiting, and John stood near the door silent.
His plans had f**ked up because of that bastard. The tension inside him wouldn’t ease. His wedding night was going to consist of sharing her with all three of his friends. They were all together in their plans. Adam, Tyler, and John wanted Rose. He’d seen the desire for her on their faces. She’d been the one of the girls they’d left alone. They’d watched her for many years. Her family was part of the old Cape Falls ways. She would follow in her mother’s footsteps doing as she was told.
“I don’t want any other woman. I want Rose. All the other women before her were just sluts,” Brad said. They’d taken a lot of women in the last few years. Some of the women had tried to make out they’d forced them. All four of them had made sure the women didn’t talk.
“I need another woman.”
John jerked. “You said Stacey was the last time. We’re not doing that again.”
Brad shook his head. “She was going to be the last woman. Rose was going to be ours. Until I get her back, my plans have changed.”
He headed toward the door.
“No, I can’t do that again,” John said. “I won’t.”
Grabbing his friend around the neck, Brad noticed John didn’t look frightened at all.
“We’re in this together no matter what happens. Remember, John, you never went to the cops before now. You’re an accomplice even if you don’t join in the fun.”
He let go of his friend and headed out the door. Rose was going to pay, and until then, he’d find another weak woman afraid of him. The one guarantee in Cape Falls was there were always women who were not heard. The Steer brothers and the f**king outcasts had tried to change that. No one could change it now.
Chapter Seven
Peter waited for Rose to leave before turning his attention to Laura. He fisted his hands at his sides staring at the woman he’d been in love with for as long as he could remember. Her beauty had grown with age, and she looked more beautiful each day. Even as he thought this, his body didn’t respond to her again.
There was no tightening as he looked at her. She smiled at him.
“Hi, Peter.”
“What are you doing here? Is everything okay?” he asked, moving toward the kettle.
“Everything is great. Rose is a beautiful woman. I love her hair. She’s got pretty hair.”
“Are you here to talk about my woman’s hair?” He poured himself a strong coffee.
“She’s your woman?”
The question made his pause.
“Yes, Rose is my woman.”
He turned back to Laura and waited.
“Rose doesn’t know she is. She doesn’t know what she is when it comes to you.” Laura stood, going toward him. She put her cup on the counter, staring at him.
“Why are you here, Laura?” he asked.
“Rose thinks you’re in love with me, Peter.”
“That’s not new. Everyone in Cape Falls knows I’m in love with you.”
Laura cocked her head to the side, looking at him. “Do they?”
Sipping at the warm liquid he waited for her to continue.
“You’re not in love with me, Peter.”
He laughed. “You’re going to tell me how I feel?”
“Okay, I’ve beaten around the bush because I don’t want to hurt your feelings, but you’re getting old. It’s time you had a wakeup call. You’re the only person in Cape Falls, in our little outcast circle, who thinks you’re in love with me.”
“This is going to be good,” Peter said, ignoring her last words. Laura angry was actually quite comical.
“You’re not in love with me, Peter. You haven’t been in love with me for a long time.”
He shook his head.
“You don’t get hard for me. For a couple of years you tried to hide your erection whenever you touched me. I saw it and never mentioned it. For the last couple of years, even before Dean got his cancer, you didn’t try to stop hugging me completely. You’ve been flaccid, Peter.”